


You'll Never Know If You Don't Go

by anactualforrealadult



Series: All Star verse [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Fluff and Angst, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Minor Sokka/Suki, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Pre-Relationship, Sokka is ready to throw hands if Iroh hurts Zuko, T for mentions of abuse and some swears, Zuko reunites with iroh, and they were ROOMMATES, background bakoda, he will not have to, no one but me asked for this, they just dumb idiot boys, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25855486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anactualforrealadult/pseuds/anactualforrealadult
Summary: Sokka talks Zuko into going to this great tea shop Suki works at when they return to Princeton for their sophomore year.  Zuko doesn't realize that it's owned by his uncle- who he hasn't seen in six years.A companion to All That Glitters Is Gold, but can be read as a stand alone.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: All Star verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900495
Comments: 34
Kudos: 314





	You'll Never Know If You Don't Go

**Author's Note:**

> No need to have read the first story, only important points are that:  
> -Zukka are roommates  
> -Sokka is currently dating Suki at this point in the story, and Zuko is Pining  
> -Zuko is a Finance major, only so that his father would let him study as far away from California as possible  
> -Bakoda is life (so jot that down) and got married a few months earlier (Zuko mentions being at the wedding)  
> -The Sokka fam lives in Asbury Park and Zuko is out to all of them  
> -Ozai is an Asshole Christian from a long line of Asshole Christians (Iroh mentions not believing in God anymore)

Zuko pushed open the door to the tea shop with his shoulder, preoccupied with his phone. Sokka had been begging him to go ever since Suki started working there at the end of the previous semester, and Zuko had finally run out of excuses. He didn’t like tea, but he did like Suki and an excuse to get off campus. Sokka had also assured him that the place had a very quiet and relaxing vibe, which would make conversation and focusing easier for his half deaf roommate. With syllabus week finally over, he had promised Sokka to help him put together a calendar of assignments to that Sokka could better pace himself this year. Zuko hadn’t looked up from his phone, focusing on his conversation with Sokka about what he was supposed to order, but could immediately understand what his friend had meant- the place definitely felt more peaceful than some of the other local student hangouts. As he reached the counter, he began reciting Sokka’s complicated order off his phone.

“Yeah hi, can I get one large honeydew milk tea, extra tapioca…”

“Zuko?”

His head shot up at the low voice saying his name and finally noticed the man taking his order. A short, older man with grey hair and a long beard, with tears brimming in his eyes. It had been years, but he would know the man anywhere.

“Uncle…” Zuko breathed, still caught up in shock. How long had it been? Did he know that Uncle lived here? Did Uncle know that Zuko was going to school here? More questions swarmed his head when a hand tapped his right side.

“Hey dude! Did you order for us yet? I thought it would take me longer to get here, but I…is everything ok?” Sokka had been full of energy, but seemed to quickly notice the vibe and the tears in Zuko’s uncle’s eyes.

Zuko took a breath and forced himself into the present moment. “Um yeah, sorry, I just, uh, this is my uncle. I didn’t know he worked here.”

“Oh! Really? That’s so cool! Iroh, you should have told he that you have an incredibly cool nephew going to the same school as me! Also, can I get my usual? What did you decide on getting Zu?”

“I…I’m ok, I don’t really want anything.” Zuko found himself staring into his uncle’s eyes again, sensing there were hidden words unsaid in them, but he just couldn’t decipher them.

Iroh wiped his eyes and finally acknowledged Sokka. “Nice to see you again young man. I apologize for the waterworks, it has been some time since I saw my nephew, I wasn’t aware he was going to school here.” He turned back to Zuko. “I think Zuko will probably like some steamed milk with honey. I recall it being his favorite as a child.”

Zuko nodded wordlessly, and fumbled with his wallet until he felt a warm hand on his own from across the counter. His uncle was smiling lovingly, the way Zuko remembered from his only happy childhood memories.

“No charge, not for my favorite customer and my only nephew.”

The nephew in question was searching for the right words to thank Iroh when Sokka did it for him. “Thanks man! Didn’t realize rooming with Zuko could have such great perks! Let’s grab a table while we wait.” Zuko moved to follow Sokka to one of the comfy looking booths when the hand on his tightened and held him back. He looked back at his uncle, who’s eyes were again filled with tears.

“Zuko…I understand it has been some time since we last saw each other. And much has happened since then. I regret that I have not been able to be in your life these many years. I would understand if you would not wish to have the same relationship we once had, but I would very much like to reconnect with you if you have the time and desire. You know where to find me now.”

Zuko nodded, but could not find the words to respond. He had his uncle had once been very close, that was true, but the man had also disappeared suddenly from his life when Zuko needed him the most. Instead of responding, he went to join Sokka who was already tapping away on his laptop. Without a word, he took out his own.

“Sooooo you never mentioned that your uncle lives in town,” Sokka said after retrieving their drinks a few minutes later. “A super great uncle at that, Suki talks all the time about how much she loves the guy and what a great boss he is!”

“Yeah, well…” Zuko had told Sokka a little bit about his family, but never his relationship with his uncle and some of the other more…unsavory parts of his life. He sighed, reasoning that he didn’t necessarily have to get into all that to explain why he never mentioned his uncle living in town. “I kind of didn’t know he lived here. We were close when I was little, but we haven’t talked in years.” That was one way to put his feelings of betrayal from the one member of his family who didn’t seem to hate him after his mother died.

“Wait, seriously? How long has it been since you talked to him?” Sokka queried, drink momentarily abandoned.

“Umm,” Zuko did some quick mental math. “Like, six years I think?”

Sokka’s jaw dropped. “SIX YEARS?”

“Those are the words I just said.”

“YOU HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO THE MAN IN SIX YEARS AND THIS IS YOUR REUNION? YOU SITTING HERE TWENTY FEET AWAY AND NOT ACKNOWLEDGING HIM? WHAT THE SHIT DUDE?” Sokka was standing now as he yelled, and he got some rather pointed looks from other patrons.

“It’s fine, he’s working, I’m not gonna bother him right now Sokka.” Zuko mumbled into his steamed milk. “Besides, I promised you we would work on your calendar.”

Sokka placed his hands passionately on Zuko’s shoulders. “Bro. My dude. Friendo. You literally haven’t seen him in six years. I LIVE with you. He owns the place, I’m sure he would drop everything if you wanted to catch up with him.”

Before Zuko could respond, Sokka shut his laptop and pulled it over to the other side of the booth. Sokka whacked his hand as Zuko went to take it back. “No way. We are not doing any work until you go talk to him.”

“But I-”

“I mean it! The guy was nearly _crying_ seeing you!”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to his uncle. He just couldn’t think what he could possibly say. What he should start with. I miss you? Why did you leave? Was it something I did? Did you not love us anymore? But knowing Sokka, he wouldn’t let this go until Zuko actually followed through, so he found his feet taking him back to the counter. He waited until the person in front of him finished ordering, then blurted out the line he had prepared in his mind.

“Sokka is sad that you and I haven’t seen each other in six years and I guess I also want to talk with you can we do that sometime maybe now if that’s ok please.” he managed to get out in one breath. Uncle seemed shocked for a moment, but his smile returned.

“Sokka is a good friend. Let me have another employee take the register, and we can talk in the back.” He called over one of the several young workers, and motioned Zuko to join him through to a back room. There was a small break room with a table and chairs, and it was blessedly empty. Zuko sat himself across from his uncle, and an awkward silence settled between them. It was Iroh who finally spoke first.

“Your injury healed better that I expected. The doctor’s had said they were unsure if they would be able to save your eye in the long run.”

“Oh.” Zuko was surprised that his uncle remembered such a detail. “Yeah, they went back and forth on it for a while, but I regained just enough of my sight that they decided that I might as well keep it.”

“And your hearing?”

“Not great. But Father let me get a hearing aid once my hair grew back long enough to cover it.” He pulled his hair back to show the small aid.

Iroh nodded. “It doesn’t surprise me, he wouldn’t want any physical confirmation of his child having a disability to be seen in public.”

Silence fell between them again. Zuko was about to try some small talk questions when his uncle finally spoke again.

“I’m sure you have many questions on your mind, but before you ask any, I would like to give some explanations that you deserve.” Zuko nodded for him to continue. “I never wished to be out of your life, or Azula’s. But I made some miscalculations that came at a greater cost than I could have imagined.” His voice wavered at the end, and Zuko found himself instinctively reaching a hand across the table to comfort the man. He continued after a moment.

“I knew with certainty in my heart that your injury was no accident. The story didn’t make any sense, the injury was too severe, and I had suspicions about your father abusing the both of you before then. I couldn’t take the lies and excuses anymore. I could see the way Azula looked at your father with a new fear, different from before. So I decided to take matters into my own hands, and made a rash decision. I sued your father for custody of the both of you.”

Zuko was shocked. While he spent several months following his injury in the hospital, he was sure he would have known about this. Why didn’t anyone tell him? Did Azula know?

“It all happened very quickly, I had no chance. Maybe I could have put together a better argument if I had been patient, but I was too angry seeing the pain you were in and the fear Azula was trying to hide. I had no hard evidence, and your father knew the judge. My case was thrown out almost immediately. Especially since your father found out about my DUI.”

Zuko remembered his father talking about the DUI. How Ozai’s disgrace of a brother had turned to drinking after the sudden death of his only son, and was reckless enough to make a stupid mistake. Zuko also remembered that his uncle had been proudly sober for over a year by the time of the injury, but his father had always enjoyed bringing the DUI up often anyway.

“Not only did I lose the case, but your father took it one step further. Using the DUI and my own case against me, he filed a restraining order, one that would keep me from seeing or communicating with either of you until you were eighteen. I was devastated and ashamed. If I hadn’t acted so rashly, I could have found other ways to keep both of you safe until I had more proof of your father’s abuse. Instead, I lost both of you, and I- I will regret that until the day I die.”

His uncle was crying now, and Zuko vaguely acknowledged that he was as well. Iroh gave his hand a gentle squeeze across the table.

“I couldn’t bear to stay around after that. Knowing you were both so close and yet so far away. So I moved out here, started the tea shop. I may not believe in God anymore, but I am sure there are spirits who influence our lives, and I sent all my prayers to them that you would be safe until I could see you again.”

Zuko squeezed back. “They must have been some good prayers. It may not have been a good life, but we generally safe after that. I kept my head down, got good grades so I could go to school all the way out here. I may not like what I’m studying, but he can’t hurt me out here.”

Iroh smiled softly. “I’m glad you did not suffer as much as I feared, and that you have been able to escape from his grasp. But you still suffered, and for that I will always be sorry. I have never stopped thinking of you and Azula, and I have never stopped loving you. If you will have me, I would like to be in your life again, and I promise to do my best to protect and support you in whatever way you need.”

The statement made Zuko pause. It was everything he had wanted to hear. That his Uncle still loved him, still supported him, _wanted_ him. But at the same time, every bone in his body wanted to bolt. Refused to accept that this man who left him with his abusive father could actually be telling the truth, that the unconditional love he promised would actually be given. Logically he understood why Iroh had left him and his sister, and had always hoped that somewhere out there his uncle was longing to be with them, but Zuko’s anxieties still held him back. If Iroh didn’t actually mean his words, Zuko didn’t think his heart could handle it.

At the same time, if his uncle actually wanted Zuko back in his life, it would be an invaluable asset. Someone who could support him if things went to shit with his father, someone he could go to when he needed comfort. Sokka’s dads and grandmother had made it clear that he was part of their family and were there for him (heck he had gotten invited to the wedding after knowing Sokka for three months), but they were still _Sokka’s_ family. Zuko wanted back some family of his own.

He could sense his uncle waiting for him to speak, and decided that there was only one way he could quell his anxiety. Sokka was just out in the shop, if things went badly he would quickly come to Zuko’s defense without question. He took a deep breath.

“Uncle…did you know…why my father…did…what he did?” Zuko immediately saw his uncle’s face change from love to anger. He hoped it was caused by the memory of the injury, not by what Uncle knew about how it happened.

“Azula told me why when I arrived at the hospital. I had sensed that your father had lied about how you were injured, and I begged her to tell me the truth when your father was out of the room. She said my brother caught you holding hands with a boy outside of school one day, and felt that it was disgraceful to possibly have a gay son.” Iroh was staring down at the table, practically shaking with anger as he spoke, and Zuko nearly didn’t continue, afraid that the anger would be directed at him next.

“You should know…he wasn’t wrong,” Iroh’s eyes shot up at the words, confusion replacing anger. “I did my best to hide it at home, had a girlfriend through high school to keep him happy, but it wasn’t who I really am.”

Uncle’s face didn’t go back to anger, so Zuko did his best to tamp down his impending panic attack and finish what he had started.

“Uncle…I’m gay. Aa-and, and if you have a problem with that you should let me know right now be-be-because-” Zuko didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence because Iroh had come around the table and had thrown his arms around his nephew. Zuko tensed for a second, taking in what was happening, but slowly returned the embrace. After a few moments, he melted into the hug, realizing how much he had craved the loving touch of his uncle, how much his uncle’s arms brought him back to the happy memories of his childhood before his mother and cousin died. He knew he was soaking Iroh’s shirt with tears, but was sure the same was happening with his own.

Iroh finally released Zuko, and softly cradled the young man’s face with his hands. “I’m proud of you nephew, for not letting that the world break you. Your love is not a disgrace, it is not something dirty and wrong. It is beautiful, and you should never be ashamed. I love you so much, and something as trivial as your sexual orientation could never change that.”

He placed a kiss on Zuko’s head and his nephew gave him a watery smile. “What if I still think that tea is just hot leaf juice?”

The older man let out booming laughter, and brought Zuko back into an embrace. “No one is perfect, we can work on your pallet. I love you so much Zuko, thank you for trusting me. I will do everything in my power to keep it now that I have you back.”

Zuko nuzzled into his uncle’s shoulder, sure he could soak up the love through osmosis if he tried hard enough. Suddenly, he realized that there was someone besides himself and Uncle crying nearby, and looked up to see Sokka standing in the doorway half sobbing. He caught Zuko’s stare, and quickly went to wipe his eyes.

“Ok, I’m sorry, this is clearly a family moment and I shouldn’t be intruding, but I was standing right outside the doorway because Zuko’s told me about his shit family and you haven’t seen each other in forever so I realized that there was the possibility that this could go badly, and if you thought for a second I wasn’t going to throw hands with an old man you are absolutely wrong like I’ve known Zuko for a year but if anything happened to him I would kill everyone in this place and then myself but this is the most touching shit I’ve ever seen and Zuko needs all the love he can get and-“

“Sokka, would you like to join the hug?” Iroh reached a hand out to Zuko’s roommate, who nodded furiously and immediately ran over to bury himself into the embrace. Zuko couldn’t even find it in himself to be mad at Sokka for intruding this personal moment, instead pressing himself closer to his best friend and his uncle. Sokka untangled himself moments later after giving both men a final tight squeeze.

“Shit this is some beautiful stuff, I need to call my dad and tell him I love him. No scratch that, I can do better, Zuko I’m taking your car so I can go give my dad a hug.” Zuko rolled his eyes, but dutifully handed over his keys.

“Fill her up when you’re done please, and if I find a single crumb I’m revoking your right to play _All Star_ in the dorm for the rest of the semester.”

“Aye aye captain!” Sokka saluted as he ran out of the break room.

“He’s a good young man,” Iroh remarked once Sokka was out of earshot. “I’m glad you have found a friend who cares for you so fiercely.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty great.” Zuko figured that now was not the time to discuss his growing crush on his best friend, especially as said friend’s girlfriend worked for his uncle. “His family is very accepting, and they have all done a lot to help me work through some of my internalized homophobia over the last year. And constantly showering my with affection has helped in some other areas as well.”

“That is wonderful, I hope that I can meet them someday and thank them for keeping watch over you.” Iroh said with a large smile. He suddenly checked his watch and sighed. “I need to return to work so that I can keep the break schedule on track, but if you are available tonight, I would be honored if you joined me for dinner.”

“I would like that a lot.” Zuko’s heart fluttered with anticipation at the thought of seeing his uncle again so soon.

“Do you still like beef curry stew?” Iroh asked hopefully.

Zuko smiled wild. “I have yet to find one that rivals yours.”

Iroh gave his shoulder a squeeze, and took Zuko’s hand to lead him back out into the shop. “I finish at five tonight, and I live above the shop. I look forward to catching up on the last six years of your life, and telling you about some of my own adventures.”

Zuko nodded and gave his uncle one final hug before grabbing his things from the booth he sat at earlier. He gave a wave and headed out the door and back to campus with a smile on his face. His heart was impossibly full.

Iroh’s heart was full as well. The spirits had blessed Iroh with a long awaited gift this day. He made a mental note to purchase some pride flags for the shop, and maybe some embarrassingly supportive t-shirts as well. There were six years of love for him to make up for, he might as well go all out.

(Iroh would have Hakoda and Bato’s phone numbers before the week was out. They had a lively group chat about their boys, and how long it would take the two of them to get together once Suki realized she was a lesbian.)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second fic I've written in the last month about someone coming out to Iroh, am I projecting? Considering I'm not planning on coming out to my family any time soon, probably. 
> 
> Please consider depositing some dopamine in my heart with your thoughts and comments <3
> 
> Also let me know if you would like to see more scenes from this universe? I don't currently have ideas, but I also have doubts about actually returning to work next week so maybe they shall appear.


End file.
